andBeyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge

There are just ten air-conditioned stone and glass suites available at the property, offering guests luxury and serenity. Each offers a host of amenities such as a private plunge pool, a shaded veranda to admire the stunning views that are on offer, and an en-suite bathroom with a glass-encased rain shower, which offers guests 180 degree desert views. With a large, retractable skylight located above the bed, guests can lay and admire the constellations as they unwind in the evenings.

This makes for a stay that is all the more exclusive as every aspect of luxury has been thoughtfully considered. Other features include complimentary Wi-Fi in each guest suite and access to the main lodge’s facilities such as the spa, gym and wet-room.

The spacious family suites offer two bedrooms that are ideal for groups of friends as well as families visiting the property. They feature the same amenities as the luxury suites; air conditioning, a private plunge pool and a shaded veranda to admire the views that the park has to offer. There will also be a retractable skylight located above the bed so that guests can unwind whilst admiring the constellations and an en-suite is also provided with a glass-encased rain shower. Other features include complimentary Wi-Fi in each guest suite and access to the main lodge’s facilities such as the spa, gym and wet-room.

All food and drink at the property is provided within the rate of your stay. The food is upscale and is great when paired with fine wine. Guests will be able to enjoy their meals in the communal areas of the lodge and even enjoy trips that include a picnic on the sand dunes or dinner whilst stargazing.

Walking across ancient sands and hiking the dune’s winding tailbone is the chance to experience the serenity of the desert. Once you reach the top of the dunes there is no-one else in sight, leaving you to admire the calmness of this location. Guests can then tuck into a picnic breakfast at the top to celebrate the climb.

Each and every night at the property a star feast is available with the lodge’s very own resident astronomer. The on-site observatory and state-of-the-art telescope make the experience all the more special as you gaze up at incredibly clear skies to spot an abundance of constellations. The telescope being used is a state-of-the-art Celestron CPC 1100 GPS XLT computerised telescope and given that the stargazing location borders an International Dark Sky Reserve, making for exceptional views of the starry night sky.

The property boasts many luxury features including a sunrise-view gym, sunset-facing wellness centre and a separate wet-room spa for guests to enjoy. The wellness centre also includes a treatment room and private spa-bath.

Staying in such a stunning location is the perfect opportunity to witness the natural beauty in all its glory. Dune fields and mountain tops range for miles and have been undisturbed for millions of years. Guests are welcome to take to the sky during their stay to get a bird’s-eye-view of the desert and mountain surroundings.

A team is available at the lodge to provide you with a carefully curated experience based on your own personal interests. A range of specialist-guided experiences will then be arranged for the duration of your stay.

For over 15 years, &Beyond Sossuvlei Desert Lodge has been supporting a feeding programme for students of P.A. Schmidt Primary School. Both guests at the property and the Africa Foundation, the community development partner, have been integral to this initiative’s success. Africa Foundation also engages with the community to explore sustainable ways to provide support. To help feed the children within this community, a kitchen and dining hall has been constructed to provide hot meals to them.

Upon the COVID-19 Pandemic and its many restrictions that came into effect in March 2020, it was evident that its closure was creating an escalating food crisis. A meeting between the School Feeding Committee and the local councillor decided that the kitchen would re-open in April. With the help of the &BEYOND lodge team and volunteers, the kitchen was back up and running with more volunteers sewing masks for the children too.

There are many design features at the property that take sustainability into account. The roof design provides optimal shade plus maximises space for the property’s unobtrusive solar panels. Materials such as glass, rock and steel have been used to build the property and the 10 guests suites are spread out so that it is not overcrowded.

The property has many conservation practices in place in aid of reducing water wastage. A rainwater harvesting tank is used at the property and is powered by the property’s solar panels on the roof. An irrigation system is also in place that uses the rainwater harvesting tank. Evaporation Control is also in place when the guest suites are not in use, pool covers are in use as an evaporation control measure. Also, there is a grey water recycling system in place in each suite at the property, powered by solar energy. This powers the outdoor rain showers as well as generates more than 100,000 litres of grey water a month, which offsets the evaporation from the pool surfaces at the lodge. An irrigation system is also in place that uses the grey water system.

The solar energy that is used at the property takes advantage of the naturally hot location and is able to power an abundance of the lodge’s features. This includes the air conditioning, the room-freezers, the rainwater harvesting tank and the grey water recycling system.